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 Melissa Boal lead the team with two goals and an assist in WSU's 3-1 win over Niagara |
Feb. 29, 2008
DETROIT - The Wayne State University women's hockey team remained atop the College Hockey America (CHA) conference standings with a 3-1 victory over visiting Niagara Friday night at the City Sports Center. With the win, the Warriors (20-8-3, 8-2-1 CHA) need just one more victory to claim a share of the CHA regular season title and lock up the No. 1 seed in the post-season tournament.
Wayne State's ability to capitalize on costly Niagara (9-20-4, 3-8-0 CHA) turnovers proved to be the difference as two Warrior goals came off miscues. For the game, WSU outshot NU 29-25 while going 1-for-4 on the power-play.
Defensively, senior Valery Turcotte (Jonquiere, Quebec/Royal Metabetchouan) picked up her 15th win of the season with 29 saves while the WSU blueliners held Niagara to a 0-for-5 power-play mark.
Junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) led the way for the Warriors with two goals and an assists moving her point streak to 16 games. Junior Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) scored her nation's best 13th game-winning goal while senior Danielle Wilson (Gravehurst, Ont./Toronto Aeros) and Tina Vanderhoeven (London, Ont./London Juniors/Team Ontario) added a helper each.
Junior Ashley Riggs tallied Niagara's only goal while sophomore goalie Jill Zelonis recorded 25 saves in the losing effort.
The first period remained scoreless until half way through when WSU went on the power-play at the 9:25 mark. Niagara failed to clear the zone as Vanderhoeven fed the punk to Boal inside the right face-off circle. Boal then maneuvered up to the slot and ripped a wrist shot past Zelonis to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
WSU took a commanding 3-0 lead getting two goals just 25 seconds apart in the second period. At the 10:23 mark, the Purple Eagles committed another turnover in their zone as Boal stole the puck, skated in and let loose a shot on goal. Zelonis was unable to corral the rebound allowing Poyton to skate in and it stuff home. Just moments later, Danielle Wilson had the puck all alone at WSU's blueline and began to fall down. However, she was able to make a pass while practically lying on the ice up to Boal who took the puck, moved into the slot and one again beat Zelonis with a powerful wrist shot.
Riggs was able to give Niagara some momentum as she stole the puck in the WSU zone, ripped a shot off Turcotte which rebound right back to her, and then scored off the second chance at the 15:28 mark. However, it would not be enough as Turcotte and the WSU defense shut out the Purple Eagles in the third period to secure the 3-1 win.
Wayne State concludes the regular season against Niagara on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 2:00 p.m. The Warriors will honor their five graduating seniors before the game.
